This paper presents a comprehensive overview of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) in the context of face recognition. By analyzing 150 research papers, we investigate major publication channels, temporal trends, prevalent CNN models, primary data sets, accuracy levels, primary research focuses, and future prospects for improving CNN-based facial recognition. A major focus is placed on identifying prevalent CNN architectures, techniques used for facial recognition and shedding light on the evolving landscape of CNN designs. Furthermore, we examine the datasets used for training and testing CNNs, and evaluate the accuracy levels achieved by these models. Lastly, we discuss future directions for enhancing CNN-based facial recognition, including addressing bias and fairness, improving robustness to environmental variations, privacy preservation, and exploring transfer learning and multimodal fusion. This paper serves as a valuable resource, summarizing major trends in CNN-based face recognition. It provides insights for researchers and practitioners, guiding future advancements in this rapidly evolving field.